This is a post all about those romances that start with icy hate or enmity, or differences that are seemingly too big to overcome, but turn to love so strong it melts the ice. These aren’t the slow friendship-turned-to-love romances (though I do love those)... this is a post for the you-drive-me-crazy ones, the I-was-so-wrong-about-you ones, or the I-know-shouldn’t-but-I-could-never-stop-loving-you ones.

Now, there are a lot of really great hate turned to love classics, and I could easily have filled the list with them, but I wanted to mix it up with a bit of variety... with some well-known books, some old, some new, and some that many will never have heard of. Hopefully there will be something that everyone recognises on the list, as well as something completely new. Naturally, there may be a few minor spoilers for the books listed here (such as who ends up with who!), but hopefully nothing too big.

Oh, and check out the giveaway at the end of the post too!

This is really the definitive book for the hate turned to love romance. Lizzie can’t stand Mr. Darcy at first, and he certainly thinks himself above her. Their conversations are definitely icy. At first, Mr. Darcy falls in love despite his better judgement, despite her low station compared to his. Lizzie points out that this isn’t enough, that his attitude could never inspire love in return. But Mr. Darcy doesn’t give up; he listens to everything she says and realises the truth behind it. He changes, but he also reveals more about himself to Lizzie, and slowly she begins to see that she judged him too quickly. Both of them are forced to change their minds, and both to see the other in a new light as their love begins to melt away the ice.

If Pride and Prejudice is the definitive hate turned to love romance, then Romeo and Juliet is definitely the definitive love defies all obstacles romance. It’s one of the most famous of all love stories and has been re-imagined in so many different ways, from West Side Story to Underworld. Romeo and Juliet are from rival families and their love is doomed from the start, but that doesn’t stop it from burning fiercely, defying everything thrown at it before its tragic end.

Anne really doesn’t like Gilbert; at school he makes fun of her hair colour and she smashes her writing slate over his head. But there’s something there, a spark between them that turns first into friendship, then into a deep love that weathers every storm.

I actually haven’t finished this series yet, but it strikes me as a beautiful example of the I-shouldn’t-love-you-but-I-can’t-fight-it kind of romance. Ash is a prince of the Winter Court, and Meghan is the daughter of the Summer King; they are age-old enemies and Ash has been tasked with capturing Meghan. He didn’t realise he would fall in love with her...

Sophie doesn’t trust Howl. She thinks he’s an evil wizard who literally eats young women’s hearts. Then she meets him and finds out that he’s just a self-absorbed jerk with an eye for the ladies and an obsession with his hair-care. Which is almost as bad. It takes Sophie a long time to see that she's fallen completely for Howl, and it takes even longer for him to admit his own feelings for the bossy woman who cuts up his shirts. Sophie and Howl drive each other crazy, but their love is strong enough to battle anything.

Whether you’re a fan or not, this is a great example of a romance that works despite seemingly insurmountable differences. Not only is Wanderer a different species that looks more like a little insect thing than a person, she’s part of the invading race who are literally obliterating humanity. She’s also inhabiting a human body that belongs to Melanie, who’s in love with a different guy. Oops. But Ian and Wanderer’s love conquers the enmity and suspicion, and as revealed in the quote above, Ian loves her for who she is, no matter what she is.

This was a really recent read for me and i loved it! Elena and Clay are constantly at each other, whether it’s arguing, throwing around insults, scrapping as werewolves, or having passionate sex. Elena cannot forgive Clay for something he did to her in the past, and she tells herself over and over that she hates him. It’s soon obvious that Elena’s hate is wound up with a deep love that will never burn out. And Clay is determined to do everything he can to win her over. This romance had an added bonus for me – I wasn’t rooting for it at first, but then it won me round too. Their love can even melt the reader’s ice!

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And now for the...

GIVEAWAYS!

I'm giving away your choice of one of the books mentioned (or any other book that you think might have a 'romance that melts the ice' in it - your choice) up to the price of £8 (UK pound). Open worldwide as long as the Book Depository ships free to your country.

Aaaaand... for a second winner I'm giving away a little goody package of romance-themed stuff. Sadly, postage costs mean I can only open this one to the UK.

No following necessary, though always appreciated and rewarded with imaginary cupcakes. ;-)

9 comments:

Fantastic post, Vicky. Thanks for helping wrap up Fire and Ice. Hmm favorite romantic couples for me it is always Scarlet and Rhett from Gone with the Wind...more recently Clara and Tucker from Unearthly.

About Me

Hi, I'm Victoria, a writer and editor living in Nottingham. I love writing stories, reading books, playing games, watching films and TV, and talking endlessly about them afterwards. I particularly love anything sci-fi or fantasy, magic and the paranormal, history, so-bad-they're-goods, and everything MagicScience.
Welcome to Vicky Thinks, my place to ramble, review and talk about stories!